Goodbye Doc
by CarsWorldFan
Summary: Sequel to Lightning's Secret! It is 2010, and Lightning is entering his 5th season in the Piston Cup. But when Doc suddenly tells Lightning that he won't be going with him, Lightning senses that something is wrong with Doc. Lightning's doesn't know how he'll be able to race without Doc, but one thing's certain - he'll keep racing for Doc. And Mater.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 1

A loud rendition of _The Star-Spangled Banner_ echoed all around Radiator Springs, promptly followed by loud hippie music.

"Will you turn that disrespectful junk off?" Sarge shouted.

"Respect the classics, man," Fillmore retorted. "It's Hendrix!"

Inside his home behind the Racing Museum, Lightning McQueen slowly woke up. Sarge and Fillmore's daily argument had become his regular alarm clock. Sometimes though, like this morning, he seriously regretted having his house so close to theirs.

Waking up properly, Lightning went over to look at the whiteboard on the wall near the door. It was his training schedule. Normally, Doc was the only one allowed to touch it, but Lightning chuckled when he saw that Mater had added 'Trakta Tipin'!' to his list of activities for that evening. Lightning quickly wiped it off with his tyre. He wouldn't forget, but he didn't want Doc to see it, because then Mater would get into big trouble. Doc was very strict about Lightning's bedtime; especially with his first race of his fifth Piston Cup season just three weeks away.

Doc hadn't quite known how to react when, last season, Lightning had equalled his record of three Piston Cups in a row. His reaction was part annoyance, part pride. Since Lightning was his step-son, he secretly wanted Lightning to keep improving while he still could.

Things had changed quite a bit for Lightning since his mother had married Doc. His mother, Elinor, had enrolled in a nursing course, so she could assist Doc in his clinic. She also helped Flo at the café whenever she needed assistance. Elinor had also been officially pardoned by the judicial system for the murder of Lightning's father, Blaze, and she'd received a substantial compensation payout. Lightning's uncle, Peter Piston, was found guilty of Blaze's murder and, despite his injuries, he was sentenced to life in prison. Aunt Susan had remained faithful to him though, and was still refusing to divorce him.

At Doc and Elinor's insistence, Lightning had enrolled in a college course focusing on sports science. Harv hadn't been terribly impressed by Lightning's decision, but there was little he could do about it. Lightning had struggled a bit at first, trying to juggle his studies with racing, practice and his other various engagements, but Doc, Elinor and Sally had all helped him get through those first few difficult weeks. Now, Lightning had just one year left to complete his degree. He was really looking forward to graduating.

Stiffing a yawn, Lightning looked at what else Doc had written for him to do that day:

6am – 200 laps around Willy's Butte

8am – Breakfast

9am – weightlifting (see me about that)

Noon - Lunch

1pm – General service and oil change

Lightning gulped when he saw that last one. He didn't mind the general servicing. He was used to that. But he hated oil changes. They always left him feeling sick and low for a few days, and he always tried to avoid them or put them off for as long as possible. Doc knew this, and so it was obvious that he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

Doc and Elinor had been away for the past six weeks, visiting with Lightning's extended family in New York City. Doc had left Sarge in charge of Lightning's training, but Lightning had given Sarge a very hard time. Lightning was used to Doc and his ways, and he didn't like having to adjust to someone else's methods. Sarge had preferred weights over laps, causing Lightning to rebel and refuse to listen to him. Frustrated, Sarge had enlisted the help of Sherriff, who, together with Sally, had managed to keep Lighting more or less focused. But Doc had forgotten to tell them to keep Lightning's training fun, because Lightning got bored very quickly. In the end, Lightning had been relieved to see Doc and Elinor return the night before, but they hadn't had a chance to speak yet, because Lightning had gone to bed as soon as he saw them arrive - out of sheer guilt for all the late nights he'd had while they'd been away. Doc had obviously come to see him, but seeing that the young race car was already asleep, he'd decided not to wake him, and had instead written on the whiteboard.

Leaving his house, Lightning moved quietly down the road. Knowing just how loud his engine was whenever he revved it, the last thing he wanted to do was to wake everyone up. He was sure his friends wouldn't mind, but since Radiator Springs now had heaps of tourists coming and going, he didn't want to upset anyone, even if they had come just to see him.

Arriving at Willy's Butte, Lightning positioned himself on the start/finish line. He stared down the straight stretch of dirt track in front of him. Breathing in the crisp morning air, he went through his stretches. Then he revved his engine. It sounded glorious!

_Doc's just being paranoid,_ he thought._ I certainly don't need an oil change now!_

And with that, he floored it and raced away, sending up a huge cloud of dust in his wake.

About an hour later, Lightning sensed that someone was watching him. He didn't need to look to know who it was.

"How am I doing, Doc?" he asked over his radio.

"How'd you know I was watching you?" Doc growled back.

Lightning just chuckled in response, and he accelerated. Doc grunted.

"I've been speaking to Sarge," he said.

Hearing that, Lightning almost lost concentration. He just managed to save himself in time to counter-steer around the sharp corner that had caught him out so many times before.

"Whoa!" he whispered. Then, louder, he said, "Don't scare me like that, Doc!"

"Well, perhaps you wouldn't have reacted that way if you'd followed his instructions. Just stop for a moment. What lap are you on?"

"A hundred and seventeen," Lightning replied, braking abruptly. Once he'd skidded to a stop, Doc drove over to him. He looked cross.

"I go away for six weeks, and I come back to find that you haven't followed a single instruction I left."

"I-," Lightning began, but Doc cut him off.

"It wasn't rocket science! I know Sarge's methods aren't the same as my own, but they were better than nothing! Have you been drinking the specially-formulated oils your mother left for you?"

"Not really," Lightning admitted, kicking a small rock with his tyre.

"Yeah, I'll bet you filled yourself up on sweet oils and heaps of other junk. You know those formulated drinks are designed just for you, to help keep you at your best." Doc started to drive slowly around Lightning, looking at him closely. "I'll bet you had plenty of late nights too."

"How do-."

"It shows," Doc growled.

"Gimme a break, Doc! It's the off-season."

"Is that going to be your excuse when Chick Hicks, Junior or Jimmy wins the first race of the season?"

Lightning gulped. He hadn't thought of that. The next racing season had seemed so far away at the start of the summer.

"You may have won three Piston Cups already, but winning them won't get any easier, believe me!" Doc continued. "If anything, you're going to have to work even harder for them."

"Why?"

"Two reasons. The first one is that you're now a marked race car. All the younger rookies coming through will pull all sorts of nasty tricks on you to get you out of the way; similar to how you raced in your first season."

Lightning cringed. He didn't like remembering his rookie season. He'd been such a jerk back then.

"The second reason is that you're not getting any younger. How old are you now? Twenty-two, right?"

"Twenty-three," Lightning corrected. "I had my birthday while you were away, remember?"

Doc nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I remember. I saw the pictures from the party you had. But you know, most racers are finished by the time they're twenty-five; either because of severe injury or because they're no longer winning. A few of the best ones, like Chick Hicks…"

Lightning scoffed. Doc ignored him.

"…might remain until their early thirties, but even fewer last beyond that, as you well know. What I'm trying to say is, if you want to break all the records, you need to do it now, while you're still young enough to manage it. Now, get back to your laps. We'll talk again after you've had your breakfast."

Lightning accelerated away down the track, much faster than he'd been going before. What Doc had just said was true, whether or not Lightning liked to admit it. Anything could happen to him to end his career prematurely, so he needed to improve each year instead of slacking off. He groaned to himself. He now regretted wasting the summer, but he was determined to work extra hard over the next three weeks to make up for it.

**Please review! I really appreciate any feedback. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 2

It was nine-thirty by the time Lightning arrived at Flo's V8 Café for his breakfast. He'd done two hundred and fifty laps instead of two hundred, just to help ease his guilty conscience. His friends and family were already at Flo's, enjoying their breakfasts. Lightning parked between Mater and Sally. But before he could ask Flo for a drink, Doc pushed over one of his specially-formulated drinks. Lightning quickly hid his scowl. He'd have to wait until later to try and persuade his mother to add some flavour to them. As his nutritionist, Elinor was the one who blended up his drinks for him. Lightning didn't know exactly what she put into them, but he did know that they'd been approved by the chief Piston Cup doctor, and the racing board. With a small sigh, Lightning took a sip from the can.

"Can't wait ta go tracta tippin' with ya tonight!" Mater whispered.

"Sorry, Mater, but I can't anymore," Lightning whispered back. "Now that Doc's back, I'm back to early nights I'm afraid."

"Youse could sneak out?" Mater suggested hopefully.

Lightning shook his hood. "Uh, uh. Sorry, Mater."

Mater pouted. Lightning felt bad for saying no, but one look at Doc's stern face reminded him of their conversation. Sally leaned closer to him.

"Wanna go for a date tonight, Stickers?" she asked sweetly.

Lightning's engine skipped a beat. He was about to say 'yes', but another quick look at Doc made him gulp.

"I'd love to, Sally, but I can't. Sorry."

"Doc?" she asked, nodded in the old race car's direction.

"Yeah. I'm really sorry."

Sally looked as disappointed as Mater had. Lightning felt terrible for saying no. He kicked his breakfast aside. He'd lost his appetite. Looking up, he saw Doc heading towards his clinic. Lightning drove after him.

"I'll talk to Sally and Mater later," Doc said to Lightning as they entered Doc's office.

"It was hard saying 'no'," Lightning admitted.

"I noticed. I also noticed that you didn't finish your breakfast."

"I lost my appetite."

Doc frowned. "In that case, I think I'll do your general servicing now instead of later…" Doc frowned. Lightning had already taken off. He rolled his eyes and sighed. Now he regretted adding 'and oil change' to the kid's schedule. He knew how much Lightning hated it, and how sick it made him afterwards. But if Lightning wanted to be fit for the racing season, it needed to be done.

Doc quickly phoned Flo. "Don't let Lightning have any fuel," he ordered. "He's trying to do a runner."

After hanging up the phone, Flo went and told Sherriff, who usually spent most of the day idling at Flo's. She'd just finished telling him when Lightning hurried past, going just over the speed limit. Sherriff was after him in an instant. Groaning in disbelief, Lightning pulled over. Sherriff stopped beside him.

"Trying to do a runner from Doc, were ya?" he asked, teasingly.

Lightning scowled. Sherriff was well known for dodging out on medical exams too, so for him to be laughing now wasn't funny.

"Come on, Sherriff! You understand how I feel about it," Lightning begged. "Please, just let me go. You won't see me again until tonight. I promise."

"Sorry, son. I'd love to, but I did just clock you doing thirty-five. And you should know full well by now that the speed limit through town is thirty."

"Big deal!" Lightning shot back with exasperation. "I could've gone a lot faster."

"I know, son, I know. So, you've got two choices. Either I have Mater tow you to the impound or Doc's. It's your choice."

Lightning gaped in disbelief. Sherriff had backed him into a corner, and he knew it. If the visiting tourists saw Lightning locked up in the impound, it'd be in the national headlines within the hour. In fact, a crowd was already starting to gather; obviously realising that Sherriff wasn't just having a friendly chat with Lightning.

Lightning gulped. "Doc's," he whispered. "But I'll go by myself. Please, don't get Mater!"

Sherriff smiled with amusement. He knew exactly what Lightning was worried about. "I'll escort you," he said. "But I warn you; if you try to do another runner, it'll be the impound."

"You'll pay for this, Sherriff!" Lightning hissed.

"Threatening an officer," Sherriff mused. "Maybe I should…"

Lightning revved his engine angrily. Just then, Doc arrived at the scene.

"Ah, good! Glad I've found you, Lightning. Come along. I want to have a word with you."

It took Lightning a moment to understand why Doc was speaking like that. He realised it was to make the crowd think that nothing significant was happening. Sighing, Lightning submitted, and he followed Doc back down the road.

"You should know by now that it's no use trying to pull a runner around here," Doc said sternly as he entered the clinic. "Especially from me!" He turned to see Lightning hesitating in the doorway. He softened. "What are you more scared of? Me? Or the procedure?"

"The procedure," Lightning answered quietly.

"You know it doesn't hurt."

"It's the nausea afterwards that I hate."

"Which is precisely why we need to get it over with now, before you get back into full training. And if I don't do it, the Piston Cup officials will make you have it during your pre-race medical. And trust me, you don't want to be sick during your first race back!"

With a reluctant sigh, Lightning rolled onto the hydraulic lift. Doc smiled a little. Most cars were scared of the lift, but Lighting was so used to it now that he didn't seem to mind it too much. Doc turned to his computer and he brought up Lightning's file.

"Right, I just need to ask you a few questions first. During the summer, have you had any pain, or hood-aches or anything like that?"

"Only when Mater accidentally hit me over my hood with his tow hook," Lightning answered truthfully. Doc raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Long story," Lightning quickly added. "It happened the first week after you left."

"Was it just pain, or…"

"Yeah. And a minor dent. Ramone fixed it up for me. I didn't get knocked out or anything though."

Doc typed a note into the computer. "Have you had any dizziness or heat stress?"

"No."

"How about blurred vision?"

"No."

"Anything else abnormal?"

"No."

"How about your appetite?"

"It's fine."

Doc frowned. "It wasn't this morning."

Lightning shifted uncomfortably. "I just hate the flavour of those formulated drinks."

"I know," Doc sympathised. "But they're expensive, and they'll do you more good than you realise."

"Can't you add some flavouring to them, or something? Please?"

"That's a question you'll have to ask your mother," Doc said dismissively, and he typed something else into the computer. He then collected two jump-lead cables, and he come over to Lightning. Knowing that Doc wanted to test his battery, Lightning opened his hood for him. Doc clipped the cables to Lightning's battery, and he returned to his computer. After a moment, he returned to Lightning, and he removed the clips. Lightning closed his hood.

For the next half an hour, Doc continued to run all sorts of tests on Lightning. None of them hurt, but some made him a bit uncomfortable. Doc also took samples of Lightning's oil and fuel, which would be sent to the chief Piston Cup doctor for analysis. Lightning became increasingly bored and restless.

Finally, the time came for Lightning's oil change. Doc called Elinor into the room to help. Elinor cast Lightning a sympathetic smile. She knew how much he hated this. Worried, Lightning closed his eyes while Doc and Elinor set up the equipment. He didn't even flinch when Doc pressed the button that raised the lift.

"Ready?" Doc asked as he moved underneath Lightning.

"Just get it over with!" Lightning whimpered. He shifted uncomfortably when Doc began to unscrew the seal on the bottom of his oil sump.

"Try and keep still," Doc soothed. The moment the seal fell out, Doc secured a tube to where the seal had been. Lightning groaned as the oil flowed out of him, through the tube, and into a disposable container.

"Am I the only one who gets sick after an oil change?" Lightning asked feebly.

"No…" Doc replied thoughtfully. "But it's not common. Must be something to do with your Jaguar Syndrome."

Lightning kept his eyes closed. Normally, it'd take about an hour for all the oil to drain out of the oil sump, but since he hadn't had much to drink that morning, he hoped it wouldn't take that long.

Half an hour later, Doc returned to check on Lightning. Elinor had stayed with Lightning the whole time; partially to ensure nothing went wrong, and partially because she just wanted to keep her only child company. The young race car had settled down considerably and he appeared to be dozing. Doc looked at the drainage tube. The oil had stopped flowing. Satisfied, Doc moved underneath the lift and he disconnected the tube. Lightning woke up as Doc began screwing the seal back into position. He groaned softly.

"How are you feeling, kid?" Doc asked kindly.

"Terrible," Lightning answered. The nausea had already started to kick in.

Doc finished screwing the seal back into place, and he lowered the lift back down to the ground. He didn't need to worry about clamping Lightning's wheels. There was no way Lightning was going anywhere in a hurry for at least a day. Elinor placed a can of special high-performance oil in front of him.

"Drink it," she ordered.

Lightning hesitated. The way he felt, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep it down. In fact… His tank lurched.

Doc looked up in time to see Lightning retch. He quickly placed a deep tray in front of the race car just in time.

Lightning groaned weakly. He hated the burning aftertaste of fuel. In fact, cars weren't supposed to be able to taste it at all.

Doc frowned with concern. Bringing up fuel was far worse than bringing up oil. But at least the kid had vomited. Hopefully, the nausea would pass and allow Lightning to drink. Going without oil for more than a day was dangerous. He and Elinor would have to monitor him closely.

Doc sighed tiredly. He was really beginning to feel his age. In fact, during his holiday in New York City, he'd seriously considered retiring from everything. And yet, when he looked at Lightning, he wondered if he could really do that. Lightning relied on him completely for everything, as did Elinor. They were his family now, and he loved Lightning as if he were his own.

Lightning groaned again. Doc turned his attention back to him.

"How are you feeling now, kid?"

"Can I go to sleep?" Lightning asked.

"Only if you promise to drink an entire can of oil when you wake up," Doc replied.

Lightning nodded, and he closed his eyes again. He'd have agreed to anything just to get some sleep.

"Son? Lightning? Come on. Wake up."

Lightning groaned sleepily. He opened his eyes. Doc was standing in front of him. He pressed a straw against Lightning's lips.

"Drink that," he ordered.

Lightning hesitated, waiting for a wave of nausea to hit him. When it didn't come, he took a hesitant sip. Doc stayed in front of him, watching and waiting for Lightning to finish the entire can of oil. It took some time, but Lightning drained the can.

"I take it that you're feeling better?" Doc asked.

"A bit," Lightning replied, breathing a sigh of relief. "How long have I been asleep?"

"About six hours," Doc replied. "I want you to stay here tonight, so your mother and I can keep an eye on you. Tomorrow, I just want you to rest around town, but if you're okay after that, we'll resume your training the following day."

Lightning sighed tiredly. Then he yawned. Doc turned to his computer. And email flashed up. While Lightning had been asleep, he'd sent the results of Lightning's check up to the chief Piston Cup doctor. He'd also mailed the oil and fuel samples. The email was just confirming that the doctor had received the results, and he'd expect the samples to arrive the next day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 3

Two weeks later, Lightning had all but forgotten about the oil change. Thanks to Doc's training schedule, he was a hundred percent fit again and completely focused on what would be his fifth season in the Piston Cup.

One morning, Doc was standing next to the start/finish line at Willy's Butte, watching his step-son and protégé practice. Beside him was Guido, holding a stopwatch. Guido pressed the button to stop the time as Lightning shot past. He held it up so Doc could see the time.

"That's good, kid!" Doc said over the radio. "We'll call it a day. Come and see me in my office once you've cooled down."

"Will do, Doc," Lightning radioed back.

Ten minutes later, Lightning entered Doc's office. Doc was waiting for him.

"How'd I go, Doc?" Lightning asked eagerly.

"Not bad." He looked seriously at Lightning. "You smashed your PB."

Lightning grinned. "I'm really looking forward to this season now. So, when are we heading to Daytona?"

Doc looked sadly at Lightning. It was time to tell him. "Lightning…" he began. Lightning's grin vanished. Doc only ever addressed him by his name whenever he had something serious to say, or if he was angry or annoyed with Lightning.

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

Doc shook his hood. "Oh, no. It's just… I won't be going with you to Daytona."

Lightning blinked. "Why not?"

"Because… Because I've decided to retire from the racing circuit. You know I never wanted to go back there in the first place. You ought to be grateful I've spent the past three years helping you achieve your dream." he added, seeing the tears welling up in Lightning's eyes. Lightning rarely cried; even when he sustained injuries on the track.

"Why didn't you tell me this at the start of the summer?" Lightning demanded to know.

"Because I only decided to go through with it two weeks ago," Doc growled softly.

"But I need you to race!"

Doc scoffed. "You managed perfectly fine without me in your first season." He softened. "I've already discussed everything with Rusty, Dusty and Harv. They agree with me. It's better if you start the entire season with a new trainer and crew chief, rather than having to adjust to all the changes halfway through the season."

Lightning nodded, understanding. What Doc said was perfectly true. It would be better for him to get used to all the changes earlier rather than later in the season when he'd have more pressure on him. He looked at Doc again.

"Who's my new crew chief going to be?"

"Rusty and Dusty have selected someone named Ben Cruising. He's been a well-respected engineer with Dinoco for the past ten years. He wasn't getting the promotions he wanted there, so he happily agreed to join Rust-Eze. I've spoken to him via webcam, and he seems to know what he's doing. Of course, he won't have the same techniques as myself, but please give him a fair chance. You don't have a very good record when it comes to crew chiefs, so it was hard finding someone willing to work with you."

Lightning stared down at the floor. Although he'd changed so much since his rookie year of racing, his bad reputation amongst the pit crews still lingered.

"You'll also have a separate trainer," Doc continued. "His name is Jerry Wrench. Again, I've already spoken to him, and I've sent him the details of your training schedule. He'll eventually make his own changes, of course, but he knows how to get the best out of any racer. Don't worry. They'll both look after you."

A tear slipped down Lightning's hood. "But I don't want them. I want you."

"I know. But even with your millions, you can't always have everything you want. All I'm asking is that you co-operate with them. Please?"

Lightning raised his eyebrows in surprise. Doc was actually begging him for something! "I'll try," he promised.

"That's all I ask," Doc smiled.

"What about mum?" Lightning sniffled.

"She's going to stay here with me. The chief doctor has agreed to be your personal doctor until Harv can find a more permanent one for you."

Lightning let out a long, thoughtful sigh. He'd run out of arguments.

The next morning, Mack parked Lightning's trailer on the side of the road, ready for Lightning to board. Lightning was at Flo's saying farewell to all of his friends and family. They wished him the best of luck for the season. After giving Sally a kiss, Lightning turned to Doc.

"Please, come with me!" he begged one last time.

Doc shook his hood slowly. "I'm sorry, son. You'll be fine without me though. I expect you to return at the end of the season with a fourth Piston Cup, you hear?"

Lightning smiled and nodded. But he could sense that something was a bit…off with Doc. Mack coughed beside Lightning.

"Come on, boss," he urged. "It's time to go."

"Bye Doc," Lightning said. He started to head over to his trailer, but then he stopped and turned around to face Doc again. "Thank you. For everything."

Doc nodded slowly in acknowledgment. But then, in a rare display of emotion, Doc embraced Lightning tightly.

"Good luck…son."

Smiling, Lightning turned to face his mother. They hugged each other tightly.

"You be careful, okay?" Elinor whispered, trying hard not to cry.

"I will, mum. I promise."

They let go of each other, and Elinor parked herself beside Doc. Before Lightning could say anything else, Sally moved in and she planted a big kiss on his lips. Lightning's eyes grew wide for a second, before he closed them, moaning blissfully. His engine purred excitedly, making everyone chuckle.

"Okay, kids. That's enough now," Doc interrupted.

Reluctantly, Lightning and Sally broke off the kiss. Then, Lightning went over to his trailer and he reversed inside. His friends and family gathered around the ramp to say their final goodbyes before Lightning pressed the button to raise it. Doc was the last car he saw before the ramp closed. Mack started up his engine, and they set off.

Before they'd even reached the Interstate, Lightning had phoned Harv.

"Heya kid!" Harv answered.

"Hey Harv."

"Haven't heard from you all summer. Whatcha been up to?"

"Not much. Training. Chilling. Stuff I usually do."

"Whatever. Ya hear about your new crew chief and trainer?"

"Yeah," Lightning replied despondently. "I'd much rather have Doc with me though."

"Get over it. I'm sure you'll do great this season! Ya wanna know how much you're worth now?"

"Not really," Lightning replied, but Harv ignored him.

"Two hundred and fifty million! Keep it up, kid, and you'll be a billionaire before you reach thirty."

Lightning rolled his eyes and sighed. All Harv ever wanted to talk about was money.

"As a reward," Harv continued, "I spoke to Rusty and Dusty, and we've all agreed to get ya a bigger trailer. What'd ya think of that, kid?"

"It sounds wonderful, Harv," Lightning replied, losing interest. "I'll talk to you when I get to Daytona tomorrow."

"Sounds great, kid! I gotta split. Catcha later!" And Harv hung up.

Sighing again, Lightning settled down for the long trip. After a moment, he switched on his plasma TV and started up his favourite video game.

**Please review! I really appreciate feedback! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 4

It was just after four o'clock the following day by the time Mack and Lightning arrived at Daytona Beach. The Piston Cup always started there, and went around the country, before going to Nashville for the final race – the Dinoco 400. Ever since Mack had crossed over the border into Florida, an ever-increasing pack of reporters had been following them.

Fortunately, as they entered the outskirts of Daytona Beach, a large police escort joined them, sirens blaring, forcing the reporters to back off. The escort remained with them until Mack had safely entered the restricted 'Trucks Only' section at the Daytona International Racetrack. Lightning waited until Mack had parked his trailer in its designated area before he got out. Taking a deep breath, Lightning headed towards the Rust-Eze tent in search of his bosses. He loved being at a racetrack when it was quiet and there were not too many cars around. Just five years earlier, he would've found it dull.

Rusty and Dusty were inside the Rust-Eze tent, along with Harv and two pick-up trucks, who Lightning guessed were his new crew chief and trainer.

"Hey guys," Lightning greeted them.

"Hey! McQueen!" Dusty grinned. "Get your rear end over here. We were just talking about you."

"Figured," Lightning muttered as he went over to them.

"Hey kid," Harv smiled, thumping Lightning with his tyre. "You're looking great!"

"Thanks Harv."

"McQueen," Rusty said, "This is your new crew chief, Ben Cruising…"

"Nice to meet you, McQueen. I'm sure we'll get along well."

"…and your new trainer, Jerry Wrench."

"McQueen. You can just call me Jerry if you wish."

Lightning nodded slowly. His thoughts were miles away, back in Radiator Springs. And Doc. He shook his hood, trying to focus. Ben was speaking to him.

"…and then at five-thirty, you need to report to the Piston Cup doctor for your pre-season medical."

Lightning shook his hood again. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. Can you repeat that, please?"

Everyone looked at him, their expressions showing concern.

"I'm fine, guys!" Lightning said, answering their unasked question. "I'm just worried about Doc, that's all. I'm listening now. Promise."

"Jerry wants to discuss your training schedule with you now, and then after that, I want to discuss tactics with you. Then, at five-thirty, you need to report to the chief Piston Cup doctor," Ben repeated. "Oh, and Kori Turbowitz would like to interview you later tonight, at about seven-thirty. For a live interview in the RSN studio here."

"Yes, that's fine," Lightning agreed, but he still looked distracted.

Ben smiled sympathetically at him. "Don't worry about Doc. I'm sure he's fine."

Lightning bit his lower lip. He wished he could be so sure.

Shortly before five-thirty, Jerry escorted Lightning through the maze of hallways beneath the racetrack's grandstands. In comparison with the quiet of the racetrack, beneath the stands it was incredibly crowded and busy. Piston Cup officials, security officers, trainers, crew chiefs, pitties, and other racers hurried about all over the place.

Finally, Jerry stopped outside a room. On the door, the sign said, 'Dr Carburettor'. But before he could even knock, the door opened and Chick Hicks drove out into the hallway. Both he and Lightning were startled to see each other so soon. After they'd recovered from their surprise, they eyed each other menacingly. They would have started circling each other if Jerry hadn't quickly intervened by moving between the two fierce rivals.

"Save it for the racetrack, you two!" he snapped. Then he turned back to Lightning. "Get inside."

"You'd better listen to your new trainer," Chick hissed. "Without your precious step-father holding your tyre, you stand no chance of winning the Piston Cup again this year! It's already mine!"

Lightning seethed furiously while he tried to think of a good comeback. Jerry reacted quickly by pushing him inside the doctor's office.

"You know he's just trying to unsettle you," Jerry said. He turned to Dr Carburettor. "Sorry. You almost had fight outside your office just now."

Dr Carburettor sighed. "You're early. I was hoping to avoid a clash. Then again, I didn't schedule these appointments." He turned to Lightning, who was trying to hide behind Jerry. "You know the routine, Mr McQueen. Come over here, please."

Lightning reluctantly obeyed. Dr Carburettor brought up Lightning's file on the computer.

"I got Doc Hudson's report," he said, browsing through it. "And the results of your fuel and oil samples checked out fine. I see you had an oil change three weeks ago, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Have you had any problems with your Jaguar Syndrome?"

"Nope!" Lightning grinned. "Everything's been fine."

"Great. I'll just conduct a few of my own tests now. Can you get onto the rolling road please? I'll check your engine and RPMs first."

Lightning was happy to comply. Once he was on the rolling road, Dr Carburettor attached numerous sensors to the top of Lightning's hood. When Dr Carburettor nodded, Lightning started his engine, but he left it idling. After a moment of monitoring Lightning's engine's performance data on the computer, Dr Carburettor turned to look at Lightning.

"Okay, that's good. Take it up to full speed, please."

"Two-hundred or two-hundred and twenty?" Lightning teased.

"Two-hundred. You know you're not allowed to push your engine without good reason."

Lightning was only too happy to comply. It wasn't long before he was racing at two hundred miles per hour on the rolling road. After about five minutes, Dr Carburettor told Lightning to stop. Once he had, Dr Carburettor removed all the sensors.

"Thanks for that, Mr McQueen. You can get off the rolling road now."

Lightning did so, and he looked expectantly at Dr Carburettor. "Did I pass?"

"With flying colours," Dr Carburettor smiled. "I'll let the officials know that you've been cleared to race. Good luck this season."

"Thanks!" Lightning beamed.

Dr Carburettor leaned in closer to him. "Just between you and me, I'll be rooting for you," he said with a wink.

Lightning chuckled, and then he and Jerry left the doctor's office.

"Now what?" Lightning asked Jerry.

"Your interview with Kori."

"Oh, yeah."

"But first, let's get something to eat."

Just over an hour later, Lightning and Jerry entered the RSN studio near the top of the main grandstand. It was already dark outside, but the empty racetrack was well lit up with floodlights. Kori and the RSN TV crew were already there waiting for him.

"We're going live in five minutes, Mr McQueen," the producer told him.

Lightning nodded. Unlike other reporters, Lightning trusted Kori so much that, if she'd wanted to, she could've asked him any question she wanted; even very personal ones. Many times before, Lightning had said something he shouldn't, but Kori had always been careful to see that anything embarrassing was deleted or cut.

Lightning went over to Kori. "Hi Kori."

"Lightning," she smiled, nodding in greeting. "Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Sorry it was so last minute. Did you have a good off-season?"

"Yeah. Did you?"

Kori chuckled. "It was a bit quiet. I'm glad the racing season's starting again."

"So am I."

"Two minutes!" the producer shouted.

Lightning saw Jerry reverse into a corner. A makeup artist quickly wiped a wax cloth over Lightning's hood to give it a bit of extra shine, before moving out of the way.

"One minute! Quiet in the studio, please!"

Lightning glanced nervously at Kori. The flashy reporter smiled reassuringly at him. She knew how nervous Lightning was with live interviews. He preferred pre-recorded ones.

"Ten seconds!…Five! Four! Three. Two…" On 'one', the producer pointed his tyre at Kori. She turned towards the cameras.

"Good evening, race fans! Tonight we are coming to you live from the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. And here with me tonight is the three-time Piston Cup Champion, Lightning McQueen!" Kori turned to face Lightning. "So, Lightning, how was your off-season?"

"It was great!" Lightning replied with more enthusiasm than he felt. "I love spending time with all my friends and family."

"I take it that your friends and family keep you grounded, right?"

"Definitely. They help me keep everything in perspective. Racing and winning isn't as important as good friends and family."

Kori nodded. Lightning could see that she wanted to ask Lightning about his family, but that was the one question she'd been banned from asking. She decided to change the subject.

"We've been hearing a lot of reports that there's been a bit of a shake-up in your support team. Can you tell us what's happening?"

Lightning glanced very quickly over at Jerry, who nodded. "Yes, it's true. Uh, my step-father, Doc Hudson, decided not to accompany me this season for personal reasons, so I now have a new crew chief and a new trainer."

Kori nodded again. "Do you think you can still win the Piston Cup even with the changes within your team?"

Lightning shrugged. "Who knows, Kori? Anything can happen on a racetrack. All I can do is my very best in each race and hope that the circumstances play in my favour. My team also needs to be at their very best. One second lost in pit row can make all the difference between winning and coming second."

"Do you feel ready for your first race?"

"One hundred percent. I've already been given a clean bill of health by the chief doctor, so now I just need to get through the qualifying round tomorrow."

"There are five new rookies starting this year. What advice would you give them?"

"Uh…um…" Lightning struggled to think.

"Sorry," Kori apologised. "I didn't realise that would be such a hard question."

"It's not. I've just got so much advice I could give. I guess my main advice is to just have fun. Racing in the Piston Cup is a great honour, but it could all go horribly wrong at any moment, so just take every race as it comes and live your dream."

"Thank you, Lightning." Kori turned back towards the camera. "We'll be right back with more live coverage of the Piston Cup pre-race activities right after this break."

Lightning waited until the producer gave him a nod before he moved. He turned to Kori. "How'd I go?"

"You were great, as always," Kori smiled. "Do you mind if I interview you again before the race?"

"Not at all. I'll see you then."

"Thanks again, Lightning."

"No problem." And Lightning left the studio with Jerry.

**AN:****I've had several readers asking me if Lightning and Sally will get married in this story. The simple answer is, no. I'm trying to fit my stories in with the Cars films, and since Lightning and Sally are still dating in Cars 2 (which takes place after this story), it would ruin the storyline for them to marry in this story. I am planning a sequel to this story, which will be set after Cars 2, so maybe, just maybe, their relationship will progress. **

**Thank you all for reading and please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 5

Early the next morning, Lightning met with his team down in pit row. He'd spent a very relaxing night in his luxurious hotel suite, in the hotel beside the racetrack that was part of the complex. All the racers and their teams stayed inside the hotel whenever they were at the track. Lightning was lucky this year. Chick Hicks and his team were three floors below where he and his team were, which meant the chances of them seeing each other off the track was slim.

Lightning yawned as he stopped between Jerry and Ben. "Right. I'm ready for practice."

"Have you eaten yet?" Jerry asked.

"No."

Jerry shook his hood. "You'll do better if you have something to eat an hour before practice."

"So what you're saying is that you want me to get up at five each morning, so I can have breakfast and be ready for training at six?"

"Ideally."

"But I'm never hungry before that hour! That's why Doc always had me train first, and then eat."

"We'll have to change that then," Jerry frowned. "I'm sure you'll find the change is more agreeable. However, we'll stick with Doc's regime for this race, since it's what you're used to. Now, get out there. I want you to do five warm-up laps at a hundred and fifty, then you can go flat out, okay?"

"Okay," Lightning agreed. He went through his stretches before heading out onto the track. It was great to finally be racing on tarmac again after training on the dirt track around Willy's Butte. For several minutes, he was enjoying himself so much that he was startled when another car raced past him. It was Chick Hicks.

"Haha! You'll never win going at that pace!" Chick jeered.

Forgetting about his instructions, Lightning accelerated, responding to Chick's challenge. But he didn't get far. Ben was immediately on his radio.

"McQueen! What were your instructions?"

Lightning quickly slowed back down. "Sorry. I forgot."

Ben snorted. "Well, you can forget about Chick, and remember to listen to me, okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry." Lightning shook his hood, and he forced himself to concentrate. Just over a minute later, Chick came up behind Lightning again. There were other race cars on the track too by this time, but Chick was the only one going at racing speed.

Instead of overtaking Lightning, Chick drew up alongside him and kept pace. "Come on, McQueen!" he taunted. "I know you want to race me!"

"Yes, but not now," Lightning replied coldly.

"You know what would be great? If you crashed today! Ha!"

Lightning just glared at his opponent for a moment. Then he slammed on his brakes and turned towards the infield. "Ben?" he said into his radio. "I can't practice with Chick near me!"

There was silence for a moment, but then Ben said, "I'll speak to the officials and Chick's crew chief. In the meantime, keep going and ignore him."

Gritting his teeth with frustration, Lightning returned to the track. After a few minutes, Lightning saw Chick making his way into the pits. Smiling with satisfaction, Lightning accelerated. The next time he passed the pits, Chick cast Lightning a furious glare. Lightning gulped. Chick obviously knew that Lightning had complained about him.

After he'd finished his practice, Lightning headed back to the hotel for breakfast and a shower. Jerry went with him. While Lightning had his shower, Jerry prepared Lightning's breakfast for him.

Lightning had just emerged from the bathroom when the phone rang. Jerry answered it.

"Hello? Yes, he's here. Who is this? Oh. Just a moment." Jerry turned to Lightning. "It's for you."

Lightning went over to the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Stickers," Sally said with unusual quietness.

"Hey. How's it going?"

"I, uh… I'm afraid I have some bad news for you."

Lightning felt a knot form in his tank. "What?"

Sally paused. "It's Doc."

Lightning gasped softly and he turned cold. "What's happened?"

"He, uh… Your mum found him unconscious this morning after he wouldn't wake up. He was taken to the hospital. It's a suspected engine attack."

Lightning froze, unable to think or feel anything. In fact, he felt like he was going to pass out.

"Are you still there, Lightning?" Sally asked.

Lightning gulped. "Yeah." His voice was barely audible. He drew in a deep breath. "Will he be okay?"

"It's too early to say," Sally replied honestly. "I'm at the hospital with him and your mother now. He hasn't regained consciousness."

"Oh… I'm coming home."

"Oh, no you will not!" Sally retorted. "Doc would kill you if he found out that you'd pulled out of a race because of him."

Lightning exhaled deeply. He knew that Sally was right. "I just wish I could help."

"You'll help more by not coming home. Just stay there and win the race. For Doc."

Lightning fought back his tears. "Okay. I will. Tell mum that I love her." He hung up the phone and turned despondently towards the large glass window. His hotel suite overlooked the racetrack. He sighed sadly. Jerry went over to him.

"Bad news?"

"Yeah." Lightning gulped. "It's Doc. He suffered an engine attack last night."

"I'm sorry. Is he okay?"

"I don't know. He's in hospital at the moment with mum and Sally. Jerry, I-."

"Don't even think about pulling out of the race, kid. It's not what Doc would want."

"That's what Sally said too. But Jerry, racing isn't important to me anymore. At least, it's not as important as my family."

"Perhaps not. But what would your family and friends tell you to do if they were here?"

"They'd tell me to race."

"And as a friend, I'm telling you to do the same. There's nothing you can do for Doc now, except to carry out his wishes."

Lightning nodded; tears pricking his eyes. "I just need a few minutes alone, please."

Before Jerry could reply, Lightning headed into his bedroom, slamming the door. Jerry sighed. He went over to the doorway of Lightning's bedroom. Pressing closer to the door, he could hear the muffled sounds of Lightning crying. Jerry frowned with concern. Moving away from the door, Jerry picked up the phone.

It wasn't long before Lightning's entire racing team had gathered in the common area inside Lightning's suite. From Jerry's grim expression, they knew he had something serious to tell them.

"Okay, keep the noise down, please. Lightning's in the bedroom, and I don't want him to hear this."

"Sounds serious," Harv muttered. Jerry glared at him.

"It's very serious, I'm afraid. Lightning's just received the news that his step-father is in hospital after suffering an engine attack last night."

"How'd the kid take it?" Mack asked quietly.

"Badly, I'm afraid. I can see that he wants to pull out of the race-."

"He can't do that!" Harv protested. "He'll bring in one million alone just by starting!"

"Not everything is about money, Harv," Dusty said softly. He looked at the rest of the team to see if they agreed with him. Everyone nodded solemnly.

"I just thought you should all know," Jerry continued. "That way, you'll know why Lightning might be a bit 'off' today. Just, give him some space and don't say anything to upset him. He'll come through this, but only if we support him and show him that we do care about him."

Everyone nodded again in agreement. At that moment, Lightning emerged from his room, completely composed. He was surprised to see his entire team gathered in his suite. Before he could say anything, Ben spoke up.

"Jerry told us what happened. We just want you to know that we'll stick by you no matter what happens. I know some of us don't know you very well yet, but we do care and it hurts us to see you hurting."

Lightning smiled a little. "Thanks Ben. That means a lot. But I don't know if…"

Dusty rolled closer to Lightning. "Millions of cars are counting on you to race. You'll be letting the whole nation down if you pull out of the race. You don't even know how bad Doc is. Why, he could recover at any moment! But…it is your decision, and we'll respect it no matter what."

Lightning blinked. He glanced around at his team. Everyone was counting on him to race. He knew he couldn't pull out now.

"Okay. I'll race."

His team cheered. Harv thumped tyres with him.

"Great decision, kid! And I've got a little something to show you. Outside. Come on!"

Lightning reluctantly followed Harv downstairs. The rest of his team followed him.

"Tada!" Harv grinned as the concierge opened the hotel doors for them. Lightning's jaw dropped. Parked across the street from the hotel was Lightning's brand new trailer. It was huge! Almost twice the size of his old one. In fact, it was so big, it could no longer be called a trailer. It was a transporter!

"Wow!" Lightning breathed. "Harv! That's ridiculous!"

Everyone laughed. Harv thumped his tyre against Lightning's again.

"Only the best for our champ! Why don't you go and take a closer look? Try out the gadgets!" he added, as Lightning climbed inside.

The transporter had two separate sections to it, and it was large enough for four cars. At one end was a disco/lounge area, similar to his old trailer. The other end, which was the end closest to Mack, was a cosy sleeping area. The two areas were separated by a roller door that folded up into the roof.

"You like it?" Harv asked expectantly as Lightning exited the transporter.

"It's awesome! But… Can Mack manage it?"

"Too easy, kid," Mack grinned. "I've already tested it."

"Come on, Lightning," Jerry said. "That's enough play time. You've got qualifying in an hour, and you haven't even had breakfast yet."

Lightning's tank growled, making his realise just how hungry he actually was.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 6

About an hour later, Lightning's team escorted him to the racetrack's infield. The rules for qualifying had changed this year. Instead of letting one car out onto the track at a time, the officials had decided to try and save time by letting all the racers onto the track at once. They'd be allowed to have as many fast laps as they wanted within a timed thirty minute session.

A huge media pack pressed around them, but Lightning kept his focus straight ahead. The reporters shouted out to him excitedly.

"Come on, McQueen! Show us the bolt!"

"Do you think you'll qualify fastest today, McQueen?"

"What's happened to the Hudson Hornet?"

"Did you have a fight with him?

That question made Lightning stop in his tracks. He opened his mouth to answer, but Jerry quickly intervened.

"McQueen won't be answering any questions today, thank you! Now get out of the way, you parasites! Give McQueen some room, or I'll call security!"

The reporters reluctantly parted, giving McQueen and his team room to get into the pits. Lightning breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to his team.

"Thanks for getting me through that, guys."

"You're welcome," Ben smiled. "Now do us proud out there, okay?"

"Sure," Lightning smiled.

Just then, an official came over to them. "We're sending you out first, McQueen. Be ready to go in two minutes."

"Okay." Lightning looked at Ben, waiting for instructions.

Ben pulled on his headset. He spoke into the mic. "Can you hear me, Lightning?"

"Loud and clear," Lightning replied over his radio.

"Good. Remember, you've got half an hour to do just one brilliant lap. Do a few warm up laps first, and then go for it."

"But Doc always-."

"Are you going to start rebelling against my instructions already?" Ben snapped. Lightning glared at him, challengingly. Jerry rolled forwards.

"Just do what you've always done," he told Lightning kindly. Then he turned to Ben, who was now glowering at him. "It's pointless trying to change three years of training overnight," he said. "Whatever Doc did with Lightning in the past has obviously worked for him, so let's just leave well enough alone for now. We can always change things later."

Ben scowled. "Am I the crew chief or not?"

"Guys!" Lightning snapped. "Just stop it, please! I have enough to deal with on the track! What are your instructions, Ben?"

Ben frowned, remembering Lighting's clash with Chick that morning. He sighed, submitting. "Go out hard and fast. Then ease off for a few laps and go again. I'll give you more instructions after that."

"Okay."

"You're up, McQueen!" the official shouted. "The rest of the field will follow you out onto the track."

"Good luck, kid," Jerry said as Lightning headed towards the end of pit lane. The official raised his flag. Lightning drew in a deep breath.

"Speed," he whispered. "I. Am. Speed!" And he revved his engine loudly.

The crowd cheered as the official dropped his flag. Lightning took off so fast, his tyres screeched as they searched for grip. He tore onto the track, climbing up the steep banking. He weaved around until he felt his tyre pressure come up. Then, as he crossed over the start/finish line for the first time, he accelerated up to two-hundred miles per hour.

Lightning was little more than a blur as he whizzed around the track. The other racers were strung out around the track behind him. As Lightning crossed over the start/finish line for the second time, he eased up. Then he glanced up at the huge screen. The time he'd just posted was flashing right at the top. Grinning, he relaxed a little. He was two seconds faster than the car who'd just crossed over the start/finish line somewhere behind him. Lap times started appearing on the screen, but Lightning's remained at the top.

"Brilliant work, kid," Ben said over the radio.

"Thanks, Ben."

At that moment, a green car pulled up alongside Lightning. It was Chick.

"This is for what you did to me this morning!" he roared furiously. Lightning saw that Chick was preparing to ram him into the wall. He instinctively applied his brakes just in time. Chick missed him, but he ploughed straight into the wall and flipped over onto his side directly in front of Lighting, knocking himself out instantly. Lightning swerved hard to the left, but it wasn't enough. His front right-hand side clipped Chick's rear end, sending Lightning spinning down the steep bank. He came to a stop at the edge of the grassy infield.

For a moment, Lightning could not move. He felt nothing, saw nothing and heard nothing. He didn't even hear Ben shouting with concern over the radio. He could hear a strange, high-pitched ringing sound in his ears. It sounded like a mosquito. Then everything hit him at once as his senses returned – the roar of the concerned crowd; the wail of ambulance sirens; the screeching of tyres locking. Lightning cautiously opened his eyes. He was safe in the infield, but Chick hadn't been so lucky. He was lying on his roof on the bank, but the green racer was barely recognisable. Other racers had smashed into him, leaving him completely unconscious.

Lightning breathed a small sigh of relief, and he tried to move. He winced. Something hurt, but he couldn't work out where the pain was coming from. It was an intense, burning pain. He'd felt that kind of pain hundreds of times before. He'd injured his body, and the burning was the result of badly scratched paint. Lightning groaned just as a paramedic came over to him.

"Don't try to move, Mr McQueen," she said soothingly. "A tow truck will be here in just a moment."

Lightning shook his hood. "I don't need a tow truck."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" the paramedic smiled sympathetically. "You've been hurt, so please try to keep still."

"Where am I hurt?" Lightning asked, worried.

"Your front right-hand fender. Don't worry. It looks pretty superficial to me."

Lightning winced again as the paramedic gently touched his injury. "If it's superficial, I can return to the pits by myself."

"Sorry," the paramedic shook her hood. "Just because it looks superficial, it doesn't mean it is. There might be some deeper internal damage that we can't see. You'll need x-rays at least, just to be on the safe side."

Lightning closed his eyes. Chick was obviously out of tomorrow's race. What if he was too?

"Mr McQueen?" the paramedic called urgently. "Don't pass out on me!"

Lightning opened his eyes. "I told you, I'm fine."

Just then, the tow truck arrived. Lightning was hooked up to it, and he was towed off the track, much to the crowd's dismay.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 7

A few minutes later, the tow truck carefully placed Lightning on the hydraulic lift inside Dr Carburettor's office. Jerry was already inside the office, along with Dr Carburettor. The rest of Lightning's team waited outside in the hallway.

Lightning said nothing while Dr Carburettor examined him. After a few minutes, Dr Carburettor decided to take some x-rays. Lightning bit his lower lip while the doctor studied the x-rays closely. Finally, Jerry asked the question Lightning was too afraid to ask.

"So, what's the damage?"

Dr Carburettor frowned. "He's very lucky, that's for sure. I saw the accident. I could've been so much worse…"

"It would never have happened at all if Chick had been banned from racing years ago!" Lightning spat crossly. They both ignored him.

"You haven't answered my question yet," Jerry persisted.

"Well, I can't see any internal damage. It just appears to be that dent. I'll pop it back into shape and then we'll see if there's anything else."

Lightning sighed tiredly. Even though he'd had so many dents popped back into shape over the years, the procedure never got any easier. Or less painful for that matter. He watched as Dr Carburettor secured a suction-cap-like contraption over the dent.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Just get it over with," Lightning said through gritted teeth.

Dr Carburettor turned on the contraption. Lightning closed his eyes as he felt his metal skin being pulled back into shape. There was an awful popping sound and then it was all over. It sounded far worse than it actually was.

"Will I be able to race tomorrow?" Lightning asked as the doctor removed the contraption.

"I don't see why not," Dr Carburettor replied. "That area will need to be repainted, and it will probably bruise up overnight, so you might be in a fair amount of pain during the race, but that's not enough for me to say no. However, I do want you to come back here and see me again first thing in the morning, just to be on the safe side."

"Okay, thanks," Lightning said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Dr Carburettor turned to Jerry. "Make sure he gets plenty of rest and that he eats and drinks. If you notice anything abnormal, let me know immediately."

"I will."

"Can I go now?" Lightning whined.

"Sure."

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Dr Carburettor called.

Ben quickly entered the room. "Lightning? The officials want to see you in the boardroom as soon as you can. That is, if you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Lightning assured him. "Just a little shaken up, that's all. Let's go."

Lightning followed Ben and Jerry to the boardroom, where about twenty officials had gathered around the large oval table. They were reviewing footage of the accident.

"You wanted to see me?" Lightning asked.

"Yes, come in, please, Mr McQueen."

Lightning did so, and he found a place at the table. Jerry and Ben parked behind him.

"This is purely a formality, Mr McQueen, but we will require a statement of your version of events for our inquiry. Can you please tell us what you remember?"

"Everything," Lightning replied. "Chick was still angry with me for protesting against him this morning, so he decided to ram me. I saw it coming and braked, causing him to miss me and hit the wall. I must have clipped him or something when he rolled. I had nowhere to go. The next thing I knew, I was in the infield."

"Did Chick say anything to you before he tried to hit you?"

"Yes, but I can't remember what he said."

"Okay. Dr Carburettor just phoned us before you came in to say that you were suffering from mild shock, and that he'd be seeing you again in the morning. Is that correct?"

Lightning nodded slowly.

"Okay, we need to know what Chick said to you. Are you sure you can't remember?"

Lightning nodded again. "It just happened so fast. Even what I do remember is a bit of a blur."

The officials started whispering amongst themselves. Then one of them played the footage of the accident again, this time with the volume turned right up. Lightning winced when he heard the sound of metal scraping metal as he clipped Chick. The official stopped the tape.

"Do we have that from another angle?" the chief official asked.

"Even if we did, I doubt it'd pick up Chick's voice," another official replied. All eyes turned to Lightning.

"Pop his hood," the chief official ordered.

"Wait, what?" Lightning gasped.

"We need your black box data. It might have recorded what Chick said to you."

"Oh."

One of the Piston Cup officials, a forklift, took Lightning into another room. Minutes later, they returned to the boardroom. The forklift inserted the microchip from Lightning's black box into a computer. All the racers had had their black box recorders upgraded from tapes to microchips the year before. The microchips took up far less space in their engine bays, allowing room for more important parts. They also alleviated the need to remove the entire black box from the engine bay.

The official fast-forwarded the recording to about five minutes before the accident. Then he played it. Ben's voice came on first.

_"__Can you hear me, Lightning?"_

_"__Loud and clear." _

_"__Good. Remember, you've got half an hour to do just one brilliant lap. Do a few warm up laps first, and then go for it."_

_"__But Doc always-."_

_"__Are you going to start rebelling against my instructions already?" _

Jerry's voice was heard faintly in the background. _"Just do what you've always done. It's pointless trying to change three years of training overnight. Whatever Doc did with Lightning in the past has obviously worked for him, so let's just leave well enough alone for now. We can always change things later."_

_"__Am I the crew chief or not?"_

_"__Guys! Just stop it, please! I have enough to deal with on the track! What are your instructions, Ben?"_

_"__Go out hard and fast. Then ease off for a few laps and go again. I'll give you more instructions after that."_

_"__Okay."_

The recording became silent for a moment, but then everyone heard the familiar roar of Lightning's engine as he revved it loudly. For the next minute or so, the only sound on the recording was that of Lightning's engine working hard. Then Ben's voice was heard again.

_"__Brilliant work, kid."_

_"__Thanks, Ben."_

A second later, Chick's voice was heard, faintly at first, but it quickly gained in strength. _"This is for what you did to me this morning!" _

After that, there was a loud screech of tyres skidding, followed by the sound of crunching metal against concrete. The official stopped the recording. Nobody said anything for a moment while they took it all in. Finally, the chief official spoke up.

"Thank you very much, Mr McQueen. You may go now. There won't be any discipline on your part. This accident was clearly Chick's fault."

"Thank you. What about my black box?"

"Dr Carburettor can install a new microchip into it in the morning when you go and see him."

"Okay. Thanks. Is there any news on Chick?"

"He's been taken to hospital. It's too early to say how he is. We're waiting for news too."

Nodding, Lightning left the boardroom. Jerry and Ben followed him.

"Now what?" Lightning asked Jerry.

"Now you need to follow the doctor's orders and get some rest. I'll escort you back to your hotel room, if you like."

"Thank you." Lightning was grateful for the support. His injured fender was really throbbing now. "But what about qualifying?"

"I'll ask Ben to sort that out for you."

Outside the stadium, a huge media pack was waiting for Lightning. They all started shouting questions at once.

"McQueen? Were you hurt in the accident?"

"Did you deliberately push Chick after he pushed you?"

"What did the Piston Cup officials have to say?"

"Quiet!" Jerry shouted, sounding his horn. The reporters fell silent, but they continued taking photos and video. Jerry took a deep breath. "Here are the facts as we know them. Lightning was superficially injured in the so-called 'accident', and at this stage, he will be racing tomorrow. We have not yet heard anything on Chick's condition, but I'm sure you'll all know about it before we do…"

A general murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd of reporters. Jerry waited until they were quiet before he continued.

"…Lightning was a victim of this incident; not the instigator-."

"Then why was he called before the Piston Cup officials?" one reporter asked.

"They merely wanted to get his version of events for their inquiry. He wasn't being blamed for anything. Now guys, please let us get through."

"Do you want to say anything, McQueen?" a reporter asked, but Lightning shook his hood. He just wanted to be alone for a while.

"McQueen is under doctor's orders to rest," Jerry said, answering on Lightning's behalf. "Now, please, let us through before I'm tempted to call security."

Like magic, the reporters dispersed. Taking the opportunity, Lightning hurried over to the hotel, leaving Jerry behind to protect him. Lightning didn't stop for anything until he'd reached his suite. As soon as Lightning was alone, he phoned Sally. She answered straight away.

"Hey, Sal."

"Stickers! Oh my goodness! I'm so glad you called! I've been trying to phone you ever since I saw the accident on TV! They were saying that you'd been taken to hospital or something! What did happen? Are you okay? Please say you're not hurt! Your poor mother's almost beside herself with worry over you and Doc."

"If you'll let me get a word in edgeways, I'll tell you everything," Lightning smiled.

"Sorry."

"Basically, Chick deliberately tried to ram me, but he ended up injuring himself. I was unable to avoid clipping him, but it was superficial. The Piston Cup doctor fixed me up, and then I had to tell the officials my version of events. I'm okay and I'm not in trouble. Chick finally brought everything down upon himself."

"I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Me too. How's Doc?"

"No change," Sally sighed. "We're all so worried about him."

"He's not going to make it, is he?" Lightning asked, almost in a whisper.

Sally hesitated. "I'm not sure if I should answer that."

"He's not, is he?"

"The doctors are all telling us to prepare ourselves."

Lightning closed his eyes for a moment, taking in what Sally had just said. Doc was dying, and there was nothing he could do about it. The thought made him feel sick with worry, and he felt the knot forming in his tank again. He slowly drew in a deep breath.

"If he regains consciousness-."

"Lightning…"

"Please, let me finish. If he happens to regain consciousness, even for a moment, please tell him that I won't let him down."

Sally was silent for a moment. Then Lightning heard her sniffled.

"I will," she whispered. "I'll tell him if he does wake up. But Lightning… I do wish you were here with us. At the same time, I want you to race. At least you won't have to put up with seeing one of your best friends dying in front of you."

Lightning winced, blinking back the tears that were threatening to fall. "Let me speak to mum."

Sally passed the phone over to Elinor.

"Lightning? Are you okay?" Her voice was trembling badly.

"I'm fine, mum," Lightning reassured her. "It was just a bump. I've been cleared to race tomorrow." He drew in a deep breath. "Doc…?"

"There's been no change yet, sweetie. I-I just don't know what I'll do if he…"

"I'm coming home straight after the race."

"I wish you could be here with us now."

Lightning almost choked on the sob that rose in his throat. "Me too. I have to go," he whispered. "Please, keep me informed."

"I will. Love you."

Lightning quickly hung up the phone. Going over to the window, he gazed out at the racetrack. After a moment, he burst into tears. Looking down, he saw a mob of reporters still gathered outside the hotel. He abruptly drew the curtains closed before they could see him.

...

A few hours later, someone knocked on the door of Lightning's suite. He cautiously opened it. Jerry was standing there, carrying several cans of oil.

"Time to feed you up for tomorrow's race," he announced, pushing his way past Lightning.

"What happened with the qualifying?" Lightning asked as Jerry placed the cans on a low table.

"Nobody beat your time, so you're starting from tenth. Reverse order top ten grid, remember?"

Lightning nodded. "Any news on Chick?"

Jerry snorted. "After all that he's done to you, I'm surprised you even care!"

"Is it wrong for me to care?"

Jerry hesitated. Then, shaking his hood, he began to prepare Lightning's formulated oil. "I don't know, Lightning. Last I heard, he's still in surgery. They're saying he'll be out for the season at least, but I think he'll retire. He's getting too old for the kind of punishment racing puts on a car. You youngsters can handle it much better."

Lightning didn't know what to say to that, so he joined Jerry over at the table. Jerry slid a can of oil over to Lightning.

"Get that down ya."

Lightning hesitated. "I can't, Jerry."

"Why not?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Fine then. In that case, we're going straight to see Dr Carburettor."

Lightning went over to the window and he peeked around the curtains. The media pack were still gathered outside the hotel.

"They're like vultures!"

Jerry faced Lightning, holding up two cans of oil. "It's your choice. Either way, you're going to have a battle."

With a submissive sigh, Lightning returned to the table and he began to sip on the oil. Jerry finished mixing the drinks, and then he switched on the TV. The RSN channel came on straight away, showing the end of an interview Kori was having with one of that year's rookie racers.

"…And just one final question. Do you think you'll be able to win the Piston Cup this year?"

"Of course!" the young race car replied. "And when I do win, I'll be the first rookie ever to win it!"

Lightning groaned. The youngster sounded exactly like he had been just five years earlier – cocky and full of attitude and self-confidence.

"Kid sounds like he needs to spend some time in Radiator Springs," Jerry chuckled. "It certainly did you a heap of good!"

Lightning bit his bottom lip. He kept his focus on the TV. It was now showing Darrell Cartrip giving an update on the qualifying round.

"The Piston Cup has kicked off this year with a real bang, when, during today's qualifying round, Chick Hicks deliberately tried to push Lightning McQueen into the wall. His ploy backfired though, sending him off to hospital with potential season-ending injuries…"

Footage of the accident was shown on the TV screen. Lightning blinked when he saw himself spinning around helplessly and skidding off the track.

"…Lightning McQueen and several other racers managed to escape from the wreck with minor injuries. Afterwards, McQueen refused to speak to the media, allowing his new trainer, Jerry Wrench, to speak on his behalf. Despite that, Lightning had already put in a blistering lap to claim the top spot in qualifying. We'll bring you more updates as they come to hand."

Having finished his dinner, Lightning switched off the TV. "Wasn't I supposed to be doing another interview for Kori tonight?" he asked.

"It's been cancelled," Jerry informed him. "Because of the accident."

"Oh. In that case, I'm going to bed now."

"Okay," Jerry replied. "Would you like me to wake you in the morning?"

"Only if I'm not awake before nine. Thanks."

"You're welcome."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 8

Loud ringing woke Lightning the next morning. For a moment, he thought it was an alarm clock, but then he realised it was actually the phone. Still groggy from sleep, Lightning reluctantly answered it.

"Hello?"

"Lightning? It's Sally. I hope I didn't wake you."

Lightning was immediately awake. "You did, but I forgive you. Is there any news?"

Sally hesitated. "I'm afraid so. Doc took a turn for the worst early this morning. They're trying everything they can, but the chances of him surviving the rest of the day are slim at best."

For a moment, neither of them said a word.

"Lightning?"

"I'm still here. I just… I don't know what to say right now. Who else is with you?"

"Everyone. There didn't seem to be much point in keeping Radiator Springs open while you're not there."

"Can I speak to Mater, please?"

Sally passed over the phone.

"Hey buddy," Mater said quietly. He sounded tired and far from his usual, playful self.

"Hey Mater. I just wish I could be with you all right now."

"We're gonna watch yer race. I know you'll win fer Doc."

Lightning drew in a deep breath. "I'll do my best."

"Go get 'em buddy."

"I will. Can I speak to mum, please?"

"She don't wanna speak to ya righ' now, bud. She's too upset. Sorry."

"It's okay, Mater. Please, tell her that I love her."

"Will do, bud."

Lightning hung up the phone and he looked at the clock. It was just after eight. Sighing sadly, Lightning headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. The jets of water hurt his bruised side, but he didn't care. He welcomed the physical pain. It reminded him that he was still alive and that he wasn't having a terrible nightmare.

Lightning spent longer than he usually did in the shower. He'd just emerged when Jerry entered his suite.

"Thought you were going to sleep in until nine," he said.

"I got a call from home."

Jerry paused. "Doc Hudson?"

Lightning nodded. "They don't think he'll last the rest of the day," he whispered.

"Kid, I'm so sorry. Truly, I am. My question to you is, are you going to let it get to you, or are you going to embrace it?"

"What do you mean?"

Jerry began preparing Lightning's breakfast. "I'll put it to you bluntly. Are you going to be too upset to concentrate on the race, or are you going to win the race for Doc?"

"The second, of course. I promised Mater I'd do my best."

"Good. By the way, I've got some news. It's looking more likely that Chick Hicks will never race again."

"Oh."

Jerry pushed a can of oil over to Lightning. Lightning began drinking it, not really caring about the taste anymore, because everything tasted like water this morning. "I'm surprised the media aren't reporting anything about Doc," he said after a moment.

"Maybe the news hasn't reached them yet."

"Yeah. Maybe. So, what am I going to do today, besides race of course?"

"First of all, you need to see Dr Carburettor to get your black box microchip replaced, and then you have a meet-and-greet with the fans at one o'clock."

"Okay."

...

Jerry ensured Lightning was kept busy all day so that he wouldn't have time to dwell on Doc's condition, but he also ensured that Lightning didn't get tired. After lunch, he made the race car take a twenty minute power nap inside his new transporter until it was time for his meet-and-greet with the fans. Then, at three o'clock, Lightning attended the pre-race briefing. After that, it was time to start preparing for the race.

Once Lightning had been prepped, he went and hid inside his transporter again. He always did that right before each race for two reasons: the first was so he could prepare himself mentally for the race by visualising the kind of race he wanted to run, and secondly because the fans loved seeing him make a grand entrance.

Lightning was just visualising his second compulsory pit stop when the phone rang. Annoyed, he slammed his wheel down onto the pedal to answer it.

"Hello?"

"It's me," Sally said bluntly.

Lightning's tank lurched. "Doc?"

Sally paused. Then, in a very low voice, she said. "I'm so sorry…"

Tears pricked Lightning's eyes. "He's dead?"

"Yes."

Lightning closed his eyes. "How long ago?"

"No more than five minutes," Sally whispered, trying to keep her composure, but her voice still trembled slightly. "It was rather peaceful really. He wasn't in any pain. He didn't know anything…"

Lightning tried to choke back the sob, but he couldn't. He burst into tears. Sally said nothing for a moment, waiting for Lightning to compose himself again.

"Lightning…?"

"I'm going to race," Lightning sniffled. "I promised Mater I'd race for Doc."

"Go get 'em, Stickers. We're all watching it live. You can do it."

"Thanks. How's mum taking it?"

"She's still with him. She's refusing to leave his side."

"Oh."

Mack knocked on Lightning's trailer. "Ya ready, Lightning?"

"Not yet!" Lightning shouted back. Then, into the phone, he said, "I have to go now."

"I know. The commentators are starting to wonder why you're taking so long."

Lightning smiled a little in spite of himself. "Mustn't upset the commentators… Or the fans… I love you."

"I love you too. Call me after the race."

"I will. Please, tell mum I love her too."

"I will."

Lightning hung up the phone and he splashed some water over his face to remove the tearstains. Then, taking a deep breath, he pressed the button that lowered the ramp. Immediately, the pack of reporters pressed in closer to him, trying to take photographs and video footage. In the packed grandstands, the crowd went wild, cheering for him. The big screen showed a close-up of him emerging from the transporter. Everyone was shouting out to him, asking him hundreds of questions all at once. Ignoring the noise, Lightning glanced skywards. It was dusk, and the sky had just started to turn orange.

Suddenly, Lightning didn't want to be there anymore. All he wanted to do was be with his friends and his mother, to help comfort them. Lightning shook his hood. No. He had to race today. It wasn't a choice. Switching on his radio, he altered its frequency to the channel the track security guards used.

"Security? I need help getting past the media."

Within seconds, the security guards had started to push the media pack out of Lightning's way. Lightning moved, much slower than he usually did, over to pit lane. On the way, he changed his radio frequency back to its normal setting.

"Ben?"

"Reading you loud and clear."

"Good. Listen, no matter what happens during this race, I don't want to hang around afterwards for interviews or anything like that."

"But… Harv already arranged an interview with Brett Mustangburger…"

Lightning scowled. Trust Harv to mess things up! "Cancel it."

"You've never cancelled an interview!" Ben protested.

"Well, I'm doing it now," Lightning retorted stubbornly, stopping directly in front of Ben. His crew chief sighed.

"Why don't you wait and see how you feel after the race?"

Lightning shook his hood, but he didn't argue further. He needed to save his strength for the race.

The loudspeakers screeched into life. "Racers! Start your engines!"

"Good luck out there today, kid," Jerry said. "And don't worry about Doc. I'm sure he'll be fine."

Lightning gulped quickly. Then, nodding, he turned onto the track. The crowd went wild, but Lightning hardly heard them. For the first time ever in his racing career, he truly understood what cars meant when they talked about 'tunnel vision'. It was closing in on him now.

"You okay, kid?" Ben asked over the radio.

"Why do you ask?"

"You look like you've lost your best fri-."

Lightning revved his engine as hard as he could so he didn't have to hear the rest of Ben's sentence. Since it was a reverse top ten order starting grid, Lightning fell into tenth position as the racers moved around the track for their warm up lap. He continued revving his engine aggressively. Moving in formation, the racers approached the start/finish line, where the starter was raising the green flag, Lightning heard Doc's familiar voice echo in his mind.

_Float like a Cadillac…_

"…And sting like a beamer," Lightning whispered, finishing the sentence.

The flag dropped. With a resounding roar, the field took off. Lightning had a brilliant start and by the time the racers had reached the first corner, he'd already overtaken two racers.

"Great start, Lightning!" Ben cheered over the radio. "Keep it up!"

Lightning barely heard him. Gritting his teeth, he focused hard on the track. He was determined to win this race no matter what.

"Kid! Ease up a little!" Ben instructed about fifty laps later, as Lightning shot into the lead. "You'll blow a gasket!"

"Leave me alone!" Lightning snapped, annoyed.

In the pits, Ben glanced down at Jerry. He lowered the mouthpiece of his headset so Lightning wouldn't be able to hear him.

"What'd ya do to him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kid's furious about something! You didn't give him something that disagreed with him, did ya?"

"I hope not!"

Shaking his hood, Ben pushed the mouthpiece back into place. Lightning was still blazing around the track as though he was really running from something. Ben decided to try a different tactic.

"Kid, Chick's not here, so you're pretty much racing on your own right now. Just ease up, okay? Don't make it look too easy."

To Ben's surprise, that seemed to work. Lightning eased off the accelerator a little bit, and he seemed to settle down into his stride.

The laps passed by, and yet Lightning stayed well in the lead, even after he made his pit stops. Only once or twice did a cocky rookie attempt to challenge the champion race car, but one quick block from Lightning quickly sent the challenger scampering back into the safety of the field.

Finally, the racers were on their final lap. Lightning was at least five lengths ahead of his nearest rival, Jimmy. Knowing that the race was his, he began to slow down.

"What are ya doing, kid?" Ben shouted over the radio. "Jimmy's coming up fast! He's gonna try a sling-shot on ya!"

Glancing to his right, Lightning saw Jimmy making his closing move on the outside. Lightning decided not to bother wasting his time trying to block him. Instead, he floored it, and accelerated to about two-hundred and twenty around the final turn. To his surprise, Jimmy somehow managed to stay with him.

Lightning gritted his teeth before shifting his focus to the fast-approaching finish line. He tried to go even faster, but his engine was completely maxed out. He had nothing more to give. The crowd was going wild, and the commentators were screaming incoherently.

The two racers crossed the finish line. Unsure if he'd won, Lightning glanced up at the big screen. To his great relief, his name was flashing as the winner.

"Well done, kid," Ben said over the radio. "You had me worried there for a moment."

Lightning was too exhausted to say anything. He just concentrated on breathing as he slowed down for his victory lap. He was glad he'd won, but at the same time he could not celebrate with his usual routine of doughnuts and burnouts. All his thoughts were on Doc and wondering what he'd do now that his friend and step-father was gone.

"Kid?" Ben called over the radio, interrupting Lightning's thoughts. "What are you waiting for? The crowd's waiting for you to celebrate. Do a couple of doughnuts at least!"

"I can't!" Lightning protested.

"Why not?"

"I-."

"Do it! Now!"

A boiling rage rose up in Lightning's tank. Then, to everyone's surprise, he stopped, right in the middle of the track. As the other cars slowed down around him, Lightning glanced up at the sky.

"This one was for you, Doc," he whispered so softly that even Ben couldn't hear him.

On the big screen, the camera focussed in on Lightning. Everyone was waiting for him to celebrate in some way, but instead the commentators noticed something.

"Is McQueen crying?" Darrell Cartrip gasped.

"It sure looks like it!" Brett Mustangburger said, frowning. "I wonder if he's injured himself."

Out on the track, Lightning was struggling to hold back his tears. Ben was shouting something to him over the radio, but Lightning couldn't understand a word of it. After a moment, he switched off his radio. Then, two paramedics came over to him.

"Are you okay, Mr McQueen?" one of them asked him kindly.

"Yes," Lightning whimpered. He swallowed, hard. "I just…need a moment…"

"Did you push your engine too hard?"

"No, I… Please, just leave me alone…"

"Can't do that, sorry. Come on. We'll escort you over to the infield."

Reluctantly, Lightning went with the paramedics. By the time he'd arrived back at his pit, he'd managed to compose himself. Ben looked furious.

"What kind of stunt was that, Lightning?"

"Oh, just shut up and leave me alone!" Lightning snapped. "You have no idea what I just went through!"

Ben was quite taken aback by Lightning's reaction. As Lightning made his way over to the winner's podium, Jerry went over to Ben.

"I'm sure he's just worried and upset about Doc Hudson. Try not to aggravate him."

"Aggravate him? He's aggravating me!"

The loudspeakers screeched into life. "Ladies and gentlecars! The winner of the first race in this year's Piston Cup series, Lightning McQueen!"

The crowd cheered and whooped as Lightning drove onto the podium. The blaze of camera flashes made him squint. He turned to the nearest Piston Cup official.

"Can I address the crowd, please?"

"Sure!" the official replied, grinning.

A microphone was brought onto the podium and placed in front of Lightning. Realising that Lightning was about to speak, the crowd fell silent. Lightning drew in a deep breath.

"Thank you, everyone," he began. "I'm sure many of you are wondering why I stopped out on the track after the race and started crying. Well… I'm sorry, this…this is really hard for me. You see, yesterday morning, I received the news that my step-father, who's one of my dearest friends, had suffered a severe engine attack and was not expected to live. Then, minutes before this race started, I received the news that he had died…" Lightning paused as he fought back tears. "You all knew him as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, but to me he was just Doc…"

Lightning paused again, but this time it was because the crowd had started reacting to the news that the legendary Hudson Hornet was dead. Some burst into tears, while others gasped in shock. Lightning took a deep breath.

"Doc wasn't just a racing legend; yes he did teach me everything I now know about racing, but aside from being my crew chief and doctor for three years, he was also a surrogate father to me. Even more so after he married my very dear mother. He taught me so much – not just about racing, but how to be truly happy and live life to the fullest. Before I met Doc, I had no real friends. Millions of fans, yes, but no true friends. One of Doc's favourite sayings was that the Piston Cup was 'just an empty cup'. Well, thanks to him, my Piston Cups are now filled to overflowing with friendships and many, many happy memories. So, I've decided to dedicate my win today to, not just Doc, but to all my dear friends, and my family. Sally, my beautiful girlfriend who always encourages me no matter what I do; Mater, for reminding me that there's more to life than racing, and for being my sidekick; Sherriff, for keeping me in check when it comes to speeding on public roads; Sarge and Fillmore, for always being my prompt and regular alarm clock; Flo, for keeping me well-stocked with my favourite drinks; Ramone, for never getting upset with me even though he has to keep repainting my dents after each race; Guido and Luigi for looking after my tyres for me; Lizzie, for her zealous support; and Red, for showing me that it's okay to cry in public. I'd also like to thank my team for supporting me through this difficult time. And, last but certainly not least, my beloved mother. She's done so much for me that we'd be here for the next fortnight if I told you everything she did for me!"

The crowd managed to chuckle a bit at that. Then Lightning turned sombre again before he continued.

"And now, out of respect for the Hudson Hornet, I'd like to hold a minute silence please. Thank you."

Lightning quickly moved away from the microphone just as tears started sliding down his hood once again. Nobody in the stands made a sound as the minute of silence began. Lightning glanced up at the night sky. It was difficult to see any stars before of the bright city lights, but he could see a few.

The Piston Cup official coughed quietly, getting Lightning's attention. He nodded towards the microphone. Lightning went over to it.

"Thank you very much, everyone," he said softly, ending the minute silence.

Immediately, the crowd began to applaud politely. Then they rose and applauded louder, giving Doc the final send-off he thoroughly deserved. Deeply touched, Lightning left the podium and he went to find his team. Almost immediately, the press closed in around him.

"Is this why you got a new crew chief?"

"Why didn't you tell anyone the Hudson Hornet was dying?"

"Will you still continue to race without the Hudson Hornet?"

Enraged at their insensitivity, Lightning revved his engine aggressively. "Just leave me alone! Please!"

At that moment, security intervened, pushing the press mob away. Lightning hurried over to the Rust-Eze tent. It was full of Rusty and Dusty's rusty friends and share-holders. They immediately fell silent as soon as Lightning entered the tent. Not knowing what to say, the rusty old cars parted to make room for Lightning. Lightning went over to his bosses.

"I'm going home," he announced quietly.

Rusty and Dusty nodded, understanding. "When will you be back? You have a race next weekend."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best to be back in time."

Rusty and Dusty looked uncertain.

"Are you still going to do your interview with Brett Mustangburger before you leave?" Dusty asked hopefully.

Lightning frowned thoughtfully. It was the least he could do. "I guess so."

"It's on in about half an hour. You'd better get up to the studio."

Nodding sadly, Lightning left the tent.

**Please review! I greatly appreciate any feedback. **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Twenty minutes later, Lightning entered the RSN studio in the main grandstand. Brett Mustangburger and the TV crew were waiting for him.

"Lightning!" Brett gushed. "Thank you for coming. Your crew chief said you wanted to pull out of the interview, but then your bosses just rang and said you were going to do it. It's a live interview. Do you mind that?"

"I guess not."

"We'll go live in two!" the producer announced.

Lightning followed Brett over to the window overlooking the racetrack, and they turned to face the cameras. Lightning closed his eyes tiredly. He needed to phone Sally to tell her that he was coming home, and then he needed to get to the airport and hopefully get on a flight…

"Silence in the studio, please!" the producer said, interrupting Lightning's thoughts. Lightning blinked open his eyes. "Going live in five…four…three…two…"

The producer nodded to Brett. Looking into the cameras, Brett began to read off the telly-prompter.

"Good evening race fans! Well, we've had a very emotional ending to the first race in this year's Piston Cup series. The race was narrowly won by Piston Cup champion, Lightning McQueen, who came into his fifth year of racing carrying a very heavy burden. After the race, Lightning announced that his former crew chief, the Hudson Hornet, had passed away just before the start of the race from an engine attack. Lightning has reluctantly agreed to a short interview with me." Brett turned to Lightning. "So, Lightning, when you heard the news that the Hudson Hornet was dead, did you want to pull out of the race?"

"Honestly, Brett, I wanted to pull out yesterday morning, when I found out he was ill."

"And why didn't you?"

"Because I made a promise to my friends that I'd race for Doc. He'd want me to keep racing, no matter what."

Seeing that Lightning was starting to tear up again, Brett decided to change the topic. "Uh, I don't know if you've heard the news about Chick Hicks never being able to race again."

"I did hear something about that," Lightning said tiredly.

Brett nodded slowly. "What are your thoughts on that?"

"Umm… I guess he's finally got what he deserved. For years he's been deliberately ramming cars on the track without a thought for their safety. He had to be stopped sooner or later before someone got killed."

Lightning bit his lower lip to try and stop the tears. Seeing how emotional Lightning was getting, the producer decided to cut the interview. He motioned to Brett.

"Thank you very much, Lightning, for taking the time to talk to us. We'll be right back with more highlight's from today's race after this commercial break."

The cameras were switched off. Lightning quickly left the studio in tears, apologising on his way out. He desperately needed some fresh air.

Outside the grandstand though, he was immediately swamped by reporters again. They bombarded him with questions and would not let him get through. Lightning tried hard to fight against the tears, but he couldn't stop them. The questions ceased as Lightning started crying, but the press continued taking pictures.

Suddenly, Jerry and Harv appeared on either side of Lightning.

"Get back, all of you!" Jerry roared. "Can't you see that you're only upsetting him more? He has enough to deal with without you lot adding to it! Now go on! Get out of here!"

The press reluctantly moved back. Jerry and Harv shielded Lightning as he made his way over to the hotel.

"Thanks guys," Lightning sniffled once they were safely inside the lift. "I'm heading back home for a few days. Can you book a flight for me, please, Harv?"

"I can do better than that, kid. You can use my private jet."

"Really? Thanks."

"Think nothing of it. You helped pay for it after all."

Lightning rolled his eyes. Harv would never change.

"Would you like me to escort you home, Lightning?" Jerry asked.

"Thanks Jerry, but I just need to spend some time with my friends, away from racing."

Jerry nodded, understanding. "Will you be back for your next race?"

"I'll try to be. Knowing my friends, they'll make me come back regardless of what I say."

Jerry smiled a little. They left the lift and Lightning entered his suite. It was time to phone Sally.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 10

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Sally asked.

"No," Lightning admitted. "But then again, I don't think I ever will be, so let's just get it over with."

"Are you sure? You don't have to see him, you know."

Lightning nodded. "I need the closure."

"Okay then. No offence, but you look like you've just been to hell and back."

"I have," Lightning whispered.

It was early the next morning, and Lightning had just arrived at the hospital where Doc had died. Sally had met him downstairs, and was now taking him to Doc's room. Harv's jet had flown overnight to get Lightning home and, as tired as Lightning was, he'd been unable to sleep.

Sally and Lightning entered a waiting room. All of Lightning's Radiator Spring's friends were inside, looking miserable. Lightning entered the room.

"Hey," he whispered.

Everyone looked up, brightening a little when they saw Lightning. Mater went over to him.

"We saw yer race. Ya did great."

"Thanks Mater."

Since nobody else knew what to say, Lightning left the waiting room. Sally and Mater followed him. A nurse showed the way to Doc's room, and she opened the door. Lightning hesitated before entering it. Sally and Mater followed him.

Doc was standing in the middle of the room. His eyes were closed and, aside from the fact that he wasn't breathing, he looked like he was sleeping. Elinor was standing beside him, gently stroking his tyre with her own. She also looked like she hadn't had any sleep, and she still had tear stains on her hood.

"He looks so…peaceful," Lightning whispered. Elinor glanced up for a brief moment when she heard her son's voice.

"We were all here when he…" Mater said sadly. "He never woke up."

Lightning suddenly started feeling dizzy and light-headed. "I need some air," he gasped.

Sally and Mater quickly moved out of the way, allowing Lightning to reverse out of the room. He took off down the hallway without giving them a chance to follow him.

A little later, Sally found Lightning alone outside in a small courtyard. Tears were streaming down his hood and he was shivering.

"Do you want to be alone, Stickers?" she asked him softly. Lightning shrugged, so Sally parked beside him. They said nothing for some time. Finally, Lightning ran out of tears.

"What happens now?" he asked.

"We've already started planning the funeral. I have his will. He left it in my care, since I am an attorney. It was witnessed by myself and another lawyer. He also named me as executor."

"Oh."

"He only wanted a quiet funeral. Mainly friends and the few distant relations he has. No media or anything flashy."

"That sounds like Doc," Lightning said, smiling slightly. Then he sighed tiredly. "I haven't had any sleep since yesterday morning."

Sally's eyes widened. "Not even after your race?"

Lightning shook his hood. Sally frowned.

"That's not healthy, you know. You need to get some rest. There's a hotel across the road. If you want, I can-."

"No! I don't want to leave here."

"But you can't sleep here!"

"Why not? Everyone else is."

"Only sick cars are."

Lightning yawned. "I don't want to be alone right now, Sal. I'm frightened."

"What are you frightened of?"

"I don't know. I just feel scared and I don't know why."

"Would you like me to ask one of the doctors to give you something to help you sleep?"

Lightning shook his hood again. "It may not be race legal. I can't risk it when I've got a race this weekend. Their fuel tests can detect the slightest trace of any banned substance."

"I'm sure there must be something legal they can give you. You'll make yourself sick if you don't look after yourself. Have you eaten?"

"Not since before the race."

Sally gave Lightning a hard, stern look. "Get inside. Now! No wonder you almost fainted before! Honestly!"

Lightning reluctantly headed back inside the hospital. But he hadn't gone far before he began to feel dizzy again and had to stop.

"Sal!" he gasped as his vision blurred over.

Looking up, Sally saw a nurse heading their way. "Can you help us, please? Lightning's about to pass out!"

Lightning saw the nurse hurry over. Then everything went black.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 11

"When's he gonna wake up?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down, Mater. The doctor said he needs at least twelve hours of rest."

"But it's done gone twelve hours!" Mater whispered.

"The doctor said he's suffering from stress, low oil pressure and sleep deprivation. Those things just don't go away overnight."

Lightning groaned and he opened his eyes. He was inside a large hospital room, and all his friends were gathered around him. Elinor was standing beside him, looking very anxious.

"How are ya feeling, son?" Sherriff asked, concerned.

"Tired," Lightning answered weakly.

"Harv sent a racing specialist here to see you as soon as he heard the news." Sally gently explained. "There wasn't much he could do. They pumped you full of electrolyte oil, and some other things. The doctors here wanted to give you some stronger medication to help you recover faster, but they're illegal for racers, so they couldn't. You're looking better already though."

"Thanks. What day is it?"

"Tuesday," Sally answered.

"Guess I'd better get going soon then."

"Mmm… The specialist said to report to Dr Carburettor as soon as you arrived at the track."

"No!" Elinor snapped. "Lightning, please! Just take some time off from racing until we get things sorted out."

Lightning sighed with frustration. "Not gonna happen, mum. Doc would want me to keep racing, and you know it. When's the funeral?"

"Next Monday."

"I'll fly home after the race then."

"Yes, and this time, you'll bring Jerry with you, so he can do his job and look after you." Elinor scolded.

Lightning sheepishly dropped his gaze. "I will."

...

Twelve hours later, Lightning was aboard Harv's jet on his way to Texas for the next race. He'd only been allowed out of hospital early on the condition that he drank plenty of electrolyte oil and saw Dr Carburettor the moment he arrived at the racetrack.

Minutes later, the jet landed at the airport. Glancing out of a window, Lightning could see a huge media pack waiting for him behind a row of security guards. Mack was also waiting on the tarmac with Lightning's brand new transporter. Lightning closed the blind on the window. He'd have to make a very quick exit.

As soon as the plane had stopped, Lightning hurried down the plane's ramp and he went straight inside his transporter, closing the ramp quickly.

"Let's get outta here, Mack!" Lightning said as he settled down.

"We got a police escort all the way to the track," Mack informed him as he started his engine.

"Great." Lightning breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

Thanks to the police escort, Mack was able to take Lightning directly to the racetrack without having to stop. The police escort had their sirens going for the entire journey, giving Mack priority right-of-way. Hundreds of fans had lined the route, hoping to snap a photograph of Lightning, but all they could get was his fancy transporter. And Mack, of course. Lightning wondered if this was how the President felt whenever he was being escorted,

When they arrived at the racetrack, Mack parked Lightning's trailer in the infield and Lightning got out. He thanked Mack quickly before dashing inside the grandstand. Jerry met him in the foyer.

"The Piston Cup officials would like a word with you after you've seen Dr Carburettor," he said.

Lightning gulped. "What about?"

"Dunno."

"If it's about any illegal fuel I've taken, I never did it intentionally!" Lightning replied, panicking.

"Whoa! Calm down, Lightning! Seriously! You're starting to hyperventilate!"

Sure enough, Lightning was on the verge of having a panic attack. Jerry quickly pushed him through the hallways to Dr Carburettor's office. He knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Dr Carburettor called.

Jerry pushed Lightning inside the office. "Sorry to barge in like this, but McQueen's having a panic attack!"

Within seconds, Dr Carburettor had placed an oxygen tube inside Lightning's mouth. "Just breathe that in slowly, kid," he instructed.

While Lightning was concentrating on breathing in the oxygen, Dr Carburettor began to examine him thoroughly. After a few minutes, Lightning began to feel drowsy, so Dr Carburettor gently removed the oxygen tube from his mouth.

"That's enough, kid. I don't want you falling asleep on me."

"Will I be okay to race?" Lightning asked.

"I'm not sure at this stage. Your nerves are extremely wired at the moment, but at least your oil pressure is stable."

"I don't know why I feel so stressed out," Lightning sighed.

"I do. And it's a simple diagnosis."

"Oh? What is it?"

Dr Carburettor looked sadly at Lightning. "You're suffering from grief."

"That's it?"

"Yes. I know it sounds simple, but grief can be extremely complicated. There are many ways in which you can handle it. At the moment, it's all you can think about, right?"

Lightning nodded slowly.

"What you need to do is to try and focus all your energy into racing."

"What energy?" Lightning scoffed. "I've never felt so run-down before in my life!" He let out a long, tired sigh. "I should never had raced. I should've gone home as soon as I knew he was ill! Maybe…maybe I could've said something to him to wake him up…"

"And now you're starting the bargaining stage of grief. Before, you were just in shock. When you were racing last Sunday, you were in denial. You knew that Doc had died, but you didn't want to believe it. Then, after the race, when you realised that it was true, you became angry, and you took it out on the media, correct?"

Lightning nodded slowly. What Dr Carburettor said was true. Dr Carburettor watched Lightning thoughtfully for a moment. He knew that Lightning would soon start feeling depressed. That was the next stage of grief, and that was concerning. In accordance with the racing regulations, he couldn't allow Lightning to race if he was depressed. He could endanger himself and all the other racers.

Dr Carburettor sighed as he made his decision. "I think that, for your own safety, and the safety of the other race cars, I'm going to give you a medical exemption from this next race."

"What?" Lightning exclaimed. "But that's not fair!"

"Really? And how fair would it be if I let you race and you lost concentration, causing an accident? Not only would it be grossly unfair to the other racers and yourself, I could be sued for negligence, since I'm the one who said you were fit for racing when you're clearly not. Look, I'm going to give you a medical certificate, exempting you from this race on medical grounds. I'm also going to prescribe a mild sedative for you. It will make you drowsy, so you're not to drive faster than fifty miles per hour if you must drive at all. I'd prefer it if you didn't."

"How long will I need to be on the medication?"

"Hopefully not more than a week. Come and see me again before the next race and we'll see how you're going. But I should warn you, it does take a long time to get over grief. Don't expect miracles overnight."

"Okay, and thanks."

"I'm really sorry for you. Doc was a great mentor and step-father to you. I hope you never forget the lessons he taught you."

"It's hardly likely, since every time I forgot something he'd throw me down into the cacti patch," Lightning said, smiling a little.

Dr Carburettor winced. "Sounds painful. Off you go now. Go home, have a good rest and I'll see you again next Thursday."

"Okay. Thank you Dr Carburettor. Oh, um…will I still get any points?"

"Yes, since it's my decision. You won't get many, but at least it'll be something."

"Okay. Thanks. See you next week."

Jerry followed Lightning out of Dr Carburettor's office. "Feeling any better?"

"A bit," Lightning replied. In fact, if he was truly honest with himself, he was feeling very relieved that he wouldn't be racing that weekend. It removed a lot of the stress he'd been feeling. "Now, let's go and see what the officials want."

The officials were waiting for Lightning when he and Jerry entered the boardroom. They were gathered around one end of the oval table, looking through some papers.

"Ah! Here he is!" the chief official said when he saw Lightning. "Come over here please, McQueen." He waited until Lightning had before he continued. "We were so sorry to hear about the loss of the Hudson Hornet. You must be so devastated."

Lightning nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. "I, uh…I won't be racing this weekend."

The officials looked surprised. "Was that your decision, or Dr Carburettor's?"

"Dr Carburettor's. He's given me a medical exemption." And Lightning handed over the paper. The chief official took it and he read it slowly, frowning the whole time. Finally, he looked back at Lightning.

"I see. Well, I'm sorry you won't be racing. You probably could do with the rest though, I suppose. You look exhausted. But that's not what we called you here for."

"It isn't? Why did you want to see me then?"

"Take a look at these," the chief official said, moving over so Lightning could see the papers on the table. They were all coloured pictures of the Piston Cup, with some alterations.

"What about them?" Lightning asked.

"We've decided to honour the Hudson Hornet by naming the Piston Cup after him," the chief official explained. "It'll now be called the 'Hudson Hornet Piston Cup'. What do you think?"

"I think Doc would be honoured by such a memorial," Lightning replied honestly.

"Good. Now, these pictures are some artist impressions of what the new Piston Cup should look like. Which one do you like the best?"

"You're asking me?"

"You were the closest to him, being his protégé and step-son, so we thought we'd ask you to choose."

Lightning looked at the pictures again. Some only had minor alterations, whereas others were a bit too big and flashy. Then Lightning saw one that would be ideal. It was still the Piston Cup, but it had a sculpture of Doc that, from the front, seemed to hover above the cup. From the back, the sculpture's mounting could clearly be seen.

"This one, definitely," Lightning decided, pointing to the picture.

"Are you sure? It's not very grand."

"Neither was Doc. He was never one to stand on ceremony. He liked the simple life just as much as he liked to go fast."

"Okay, McQueen. We'll trust your judgement since you knew him far better than the rest of us. Now we'll leave it up to the fans to see if they want the Piston Cup renamed. Thank you, Mr McQueen. You can go now."

Lightning and Jerry left the boardroom.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me. **

Chapter 12

At dusk about a week later, Lightning was standing at the top of the ridge outside the Wheel Well Hotel, looking down over Radiator Springs and Ornament Valley. He sighed sadly, oblivious to the noise going on behind him as the hotel waitresses served out drinks and food to the visiting traffic. Doc had been buried in a small but moving ceremony the day before, but the exact location of his grave would remain a secret to everyone, except for his closest friends and family.

Sally approached Lightning, and she passed him a drink. "How are you feeling, Stickers?"

"Like this is just a nightmare that I'm going to wake up from at any moment."

"We all feel like that. But I think Doc's death has hit you harder than it did the rest of us."

"You were all there when he died; I wasn't. You all had time to prepare for it; I was distracted." Lightning took a sip of his drink.

"True. Do you think you're ready to head back to the racetrack tomorrow?"

"I suppose I'm as ready as I can be at this moment in time. The funeral yesterday brought me some closure…"

"And you cried yourself to sleep last night."

"How did you know?"

"I went to see if you were okay, and I heard you through the door."

"Oh."

Sally nuzzled up to Lightning. "Time heals all wounds. We'll move on from this together."

"Yeah. I just wish we could've done more for him."

"Everything that could've been done, was done. He'd never have survived an engine replacement in the condition he was in."

Lightning let out a long sigh. "Are you sure he'd want me to keep racing?"

"Definitely. He wanted you to achieve your dreams."

"Perhaps. But he didn't have to be quite so generous towards me in his will."

"Oh, I think he did. You were his step-son after all, and since no members of his own family were close to him, it was only right that you, your mother and his closest friends should inherit. We all got something from him."

"Still… I have more than I'll ever need financially. I just need someone to share it with."

"You mean, me?" Sally asked hopefully.

"I wasn't thinking of anyone else," Lightning said, gazing at Sally. She pursed her lips, and the two cars kissed.

Someone wolf-whistled behind them. Breaking off the kiss, Lightning turned to see Mater standing nearby.

"Mater! I'm busy! Go tractor tipping or something!"

Chuckling, Mater returned inside the hotel. Lightning kissed Sally again.

"What time does your flight leave tomorrow?" Sally asked, breaking off the kiss.

"Ten o'clock. I'm racing in Atlanta this time. That is, if Dr Carburettor clears me to race."

"I'm sure he will. The sedative he gave you seems to have worked."

"Yeah. It still hurts though, knowing that Doc's gone forever."

"Don't dwell on it. Doc wouldn't want us to be sad. We have some wonderful memories of him that we'll all cherish forever."

"Mmm… I love you, Sal."

"I love you too, Stickers." After giving Lightning another kiss, Sally went inside to fetch them some more drinks.

Elinor quietly parked beside Lightning, making him jump when she started speaking.

"Sally's a nice girl."

"Yeah, I know," Lightning agreed, smiling wistfully.

"So…when are we going to have the wedding?"

"Mum! Sally and I are still dating!"

"She's the one though, isn't she?"

"Yes. But with my racing career, it wouldn't be fair to her if we married."

Elinor raised her eyelids in surprise, waiting expectantly for Lightning to continue.

"She'd have to choose between following me all around the country, and staying here to run her hotel. It wouldn't be fair to her at all!"

Elinor smiled. "You should marry her. Everything you just told me was about her and her feelings. You said nothing about yourself and your feelings. It's that type of selfless love that makes a marriage work. At least get a hubcap on her wheel before someone else steals her! You don't want to risk losing the best thing that's ever happened to you."

Lightning smiled thoughtfully as he watched Sally returning with their drinks. His mother was right. He should propose to Sally before it was too late. But something held him back.

"It's too soon, mum. Trust me when I tell you this though. When we do become engaged, you'll be the first to know! What I want to know is, are you going to remarry again?"

"Who's going to remarry?" Sally asked as she set down the drinks.

"Nobody," Elinor replied. "I only accepted Doc's proposal because I was scared about my future. I'd never worked a day in my like before, and Doc seemed to be the best way to escape that. Yes, I do love him, and I always did, but like it was with Blaze, it was simply a marriage of convenience. I just wish I'd found my true love the way you both have."

Not knowing what to say, Lightning and Sally both took sips from their drinks. Just then, a slow, romantic tune started to play over the stereo system. Seeing other cars beginning to take their partners for a cruise, Lightning offered Sally his wheel. Grinning broadly, Sally happily accepted, and the two lovers drove off to join the cruise.

Elinor sighed, feeling lonely with Doc. But then, she saw Sherriff driving over to her. He offered her his wheel.

"May I have the honour of this cruise, Ms Hornet?"

With tears pricking her eyes, Elinor accepted. Joining the others, Elinor laughed when she saw that Mater had drawn the short-straw and ended up with Lizzie. The old Model T was telling him all about Stanley, and Mater had a silly, somewhat desperate 'Save me!' expression on his face.

Elinor glanced up at the evening sky. Stars blanketed the heavens, and she smiled when she saw a shooting star. Yes…it was time for them all to move on, but one thing was certain. Nobody would ever forget Doc. His memory would remain with them forever.

**The End. I hope you enjoyed my take on how Doc died. Please review! **


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